List of cavalry recipients of the Victoria Cross

The Victoria Cross (VC) is a military decoration that may be bestowed upon members of the British or Commonwealth armed forces for acts of valour or gallantry performed in the face of the enemy. Within the British honours system and those of many Commonwealth nations it is the highest award a soldier can receive for actions in combat. It was established in 1856 and since then has been awarded 1,356 times, including three service personnel who were awarded the VC twice.

The VC was introduced on 29 January 1856 by Queen Victoria to reward acts of valour during the Crimean War. The traditional explanation of the source of the gunmetal from which the medals are struck is that it derives from Russian cannon captured at the siege of Sevastopol. Recent research has thrown doubt on this story, suggesting a variety of origins. The original Royal Warrant did not contain a specific clause regarding posthumous awards, although official policy was to not award the VC posthumously. Between 1897 and 1901, several notices were issued in The London Gazette regarding soldiers who would have been awarded the VC had they survived. In a partial reversal of policy in 1902, six of the soldiers mentioned were granted the VC, but not "officially" awarded the medal. In 1907, the posthumous policy was completely reversed and medals were sent to the next of kin of the six officers and men. The Victoria Cross warrant was not officially amended to explicitly allow posthumous awards until 1920 but one quarter of all awards for the First World War were posthumous.Crook, MJ, Chapter 8 pp.68–90

Due to its rarity, the VC is highly prized and the medal has fetched over £400,000 at auction. A number of public and private collections are devoted to the Victoria Cross. The private collection of Lord Ashcroft, amassed since 1986, contains over one-tenth of all VCs awarded. Following a 2008 donation to the Imperial War Museum, the Ashcroft collection went on public display alongside the museum's Victoria and George Cross collection in November 2010. Since 1990, three Commonwealth countries that retain the Queen as head of state have instituted their own versions of the VC. As a result, the original Victoria Cross is sometimes referred to as the "Commonwealth Victoria Cross" or the "Imperial Victoria Cross", to distinguish it from the newer awards.

The first awards to cavalrymen were the nine awarded during the Crimean War, the first seven in the Charge of the Light Brigade 25 October 1854. The largest number for any one campaign was the twenty-nine awarded during the Indian Mutiny (also known as the Indian Rebellion of 1857), twelve of those to one regiment, the 9th Queen's Royal Lancers. All together ninety-two awards have been made to cavalrymen, the last on 23 September 1918 in the final days of World War I.

Cavalry recipients

Name Regiment Date Conflict Location Second Boer War Ladysmith Indian Mutiny Sundeela Oudh Indian Mutiny Lucknow Anglo-Zulu War White Umfolozi River Crimean War Balaclava 23 October 1857 Indian Mutiny NeemuchJeerum Indian Mutiny Bolandshahr Second Boer War Geluk Indian Mutiny Seerporah Mahdist War Omdurman First World War La Boiselle Indian Mutiny Beejapore First World War Bourlon Wood Second Boer War Strijdenburg Second Boer War Komati River Second Boer War Springbok Laagte Second Boer War Tygerkloof Spruit First Boer War Elandsfontein Anglo-Zulu War White Umfolozi River Indian Mutiny Bolandshahr First Boer War Laing's Nek Second Boer War Zeerust Second Boer War Derby Crimean War Balaclava First World War Epehy Second Boer War Bloemfontein Second Boer War Vlakfontein Crimean War Balaclava First World War Bois de Moreuil Indian Mutiny River Raptee Indian Mutiny Agra First World War Harmingnies First World War Audregnies Crimean War Balaclava Indian Mutiny Lucknow ,18 August 1857,27 January 1858,3 February 1858 Indian Mutiny KhurkowdahNot knownShumshabadMeangunge ,25 February 1858 Indian Mutiny AlumbaghJellalabad Second Afghan War Futtehabad Indian Mutiny Delhi 10 October 1857 Indian Mutiny DelhiAgra First World War Guyencourt Second Matabele War Bulawayo Indian Mutiny Gwalior Second Boer War Komati River Indian Mutiny Gwalior First World War Hafiz Kor Second Boer War Elandslaagte Indian Mutiny Delhi Indian Mutiny Bolandshahr Mahdist War Omdurman First World War El Buggar Ridge Second Boer War Essenbosch Farm Indian Mutiny Betwa Anglo-Persian War Khoosh-ab Crimean War Balaclava Mahdist War El Teb Second Boer War Korn Spruit Second Boer War Colesberg Indian Mutiny Jamo Mahdist War Omdurman Anglo-Persian War Khoosh-ab Crimean War Balaclava Second Boer War Elandslaagte Tirah Campaign Nawa Kili Indian Mutiny Lucknow Second Boer War Ladysmith Anglo-Zulu War White Umfolozi River Crimean War Balaclava First World War Festubert Indian Mutiny Gwalior First World War Gallipoli Indian Mutiny Agra Indian Mutiny Delhi Crimean War Balaclava Second Boer War Wolwespruit Indian Mutiny Bolandshahr Indian Mutiny Lucknow Third Ashanti War Abogu First World War River Jordan 1 December 1917 First World War Pezières Mahdist War Omdurman Indian Mutiny Shunsabad First World War Masnieres Second Boer War Komati River Second Afghan War Asmai Heights Indian Mutiny Gwalior Indian Mutiny Lucknow First World War Shaiba First World War Courcelles-le-Comte ,2 May 1858 Indian Mutiny JhansiLohari Indian Mutiny Sinwaho Crimean War Balaclava

References